The NCX is a class of slightly smaller and more practical deep space
stations built in the mid-2380s to serve as home bases for exploratory vessels on the Federation frontier. The station features four saucer-shaped
docking modules capable of accommodating five small vessels each. An upper
main docking facility allows capital ships to repair, refeul, or refit. Atop
the main docking module is a command module, and in the center is the massive concourse module which is comprised of the power core, storage
facilities for deuterium, dilithium, ordinance, parts, and other provisions,
supplemented by a massive replication facility and a network of quarters for
crew members and guests. These well-equipped bases, as well as new communication technology pioneered by the MIDAS array, extend the range of
Starfleet, allowing for exploration of sectors thousands of light-years from
Earth.

At a distance of 800 light-years from Earth, located in the constellation of Orion, the Rigel Iota station is designed to collect vast
quantities of solar energy and raw material from the blue super giant Beta
Orion, also known as Rigel, and uses its energy to manufacture antimatter
based fuel for starships, stations, and planets. The station orbits about
6.5 billion km around the star Rigel, close enough for maximum energy
collection, yet far enough to prevent destruction of the station. Blue
stars are preferred for energy production because the energy released by
blue stars are generally greater than other stars.

The station starts by collecting expelled hydrogen gas from Rigel by the
means of an array of hydrogen ramscoops. Once collected, the hydrogen is sent to
a series of deuterium converters and antimatter generators to generate
matter/antimatter fuel for starships, space stations, and planets. Deuterium
converters are thermonuclear reactors that converts hydrogen into deuterium,
which is a hydrogen isotope, without losing any real energy potential of the
isotope. Later both the hydrogen and the deuterium are sent to the stations
antimatter generators. These generators, similar to those found on a Galaxy-class
starship, reversing the quantum charge of the deuterium and hydrogen into their
antimatter counterparts.

However these generators are very energy expensive. In order to power an
antimatter generator with thermonuclear reactors, 10 units of deuterium are
needed to power the generator, and will convert only 1 unit of deuterium into anti-deuterium.
In order to generate a Galaxy-class starships standard 3000 cubic metre supply
of antimatter for example, 33000 cubic metres of deuterium are required, which
is more than half of the 62500 cubic metres of a Galaxy class standard deuterium
load. An alternative energy source is required.

Power for the stations refineries comes from both M/ARC, and solar energy.
The station collects 2 types of solar energy from Rigel. 32 photovoltaic
collector assemblies collect the light from the super giant and uses the power
in the station's EPS grid. Within the stations 16 hydrogen ramscoops, are
special generators that are designed to utilize the incredible amounts of energy
within the expelled solar plasma from the sun as a power source. With the
magnetic field of the ramscoops being many times larger than those on starships,
the refinery can draw in incredible amounts of solar plasma energy. 2 M/ARC or
matter/antimatter reaction chambers provides additional power should any of the
solar energy collectors fail.

The station can manufacture enough antimatter to refuel a Galaxy-class
starship in about 4 hours. This means that 2190 Galaxy-class starships can be
filled with their normal 3 year antimatter supply in 1 year. Since the average
Federation world only requires an energy equivalent to 3 kg of matter and
antimatter a day, this station, and its sister stations, become indispensable
for the future of the Federation.

In battle mode, the starbase can "close" (the upper and lower part connect together), to protect everything (including the docked ships) inside.
This design was inspired by the Cylon base from "Battlestar Galactica".